Synthesis of Bare Iron Nanoparticles from Ferrocene Hexane Solution by Femtosecond Laser Pulses

Iron-based nanoparticles (FeNPs) have unique and attractive properties such as superparamagnetism, biocompatibility, and catalytic activity. Although the synthesis of precious metal NPs from a metal in liquid and/or metal salt solution by a pulsed laser has been investigated, comparably little effort has been devoted to examine the production of FeNPs. Here we report the synthesis of carbon-shell free spherical NPs of iron oxide (magnetite) from ferrocene hexane solution by femtosecond near infrared laser pulses. Nanosecond UV laser pulses are used to compare the evolution of the particle size distribution as a function of laser irradiation time. The size of NPs remains constant even for extended exposure to femtosecond laser pulses, whereas it grows with exposure to nanosecond laser pulses. The primary particles are generated by photochemical reactions regardless of pulse duration; however, the fragmentation of NPs by successive femtosecond laser pulses regulates the particle size.